TJWOOD

Hi everyone. I am hoping someone can please help me. I have been experiencing so many complications and I am in so much despair. I apologize in advance for this long posting. I was banded nine weeks ago. I am a self-pay and paid $15,000. After 5 weeks and my first fill, I had major pain on my left side near my diaphragm where the band is located. My LB doctor told me there was nothing he could do in his office (no testing equipment) and if I felt that much pain, I should go to the ER. After 8 hrs in the ER and a battery of tests, and an $8,500 bill, I was told they can’t find anything wrong. I was given a prescription for pain killers and sent home. Upon follow up with my lap band doctor, he said that it is just one of those things. The pain finally went away two weeks later and I hoped that it was in the past. About two weeks later, at 8 weeks post-op, I went in for my second fill. That same evening, the port area began bruising and I assumed this was normal, like when getting a shot. After one week, the bruising turned into a dark red and itchy rash about 5 inches in diameter. I became increasingly concerned and had my LB doctor look at it. He prescribed some oral antibiotics and told me to keep an eye on it. Four days later, the red rash turned into a full blown, ugly infection. It was directly over the port incision (which had already healed and closed over the previous 8 weeks). Today, the infection looked nasty. It was bubbling along the area where the port incision is, about 4 inches long. My doctor had me come in immediately this afternoon. He had me lay down and I thought he was squeezing the blistering area to drain the fluid. It was incredibly PAINFUL and I begged him to stop. I then looked down and was horrified to see a hole that was almost twice the size of a silver dollar right into my abdomen. He wasn’t “draining” it but scraping/digging out the infection/dead skin tissue. I thought I was going to pass out right there. Most of what he told me was only half understood because I was in a state of shock and disbelief. He stuffed a big wad of gauze in me, covered it up and told me to come back tomorrow morning to see “how I respond to the treatment”. He said he will have to schedule me for a "scope" (whatever that is) to see if I have any band erosion and possibly schedule me for emergency surgery to remove everything. Of course I'm still trying to get over the hole in my stomach. I can’t help but think that I will be disfigured forever, not to mention broke. And for 8 weeks the only fills I had were 2CC each and have had zero restriction. I feel like I’m the poster child for everything that can go wrong with the Lap Band. I wonder if my initial pain has something to do with this and my doctor was not vigilant enough. It seems like this infection was festering even before the rash began.

I'm not sure if anyone follows this thread any longer, but here is an update. It is August '09 and I am almost 3 months post-op from my second surgery. In 2 weeks, it will be a year since my Lap Band surgery. In May, fevers returned, more abscesses formed and Ct scans showed that the mycobacterium infection had returned with a vengeance. Apparently, the first hospital and former doctor (my Lap Band surgeon) did not treat this infection thoroughly. I should have been on antibiotics (mainly IV) for many months. Instead, they had be on AB's for 2 weeks. In May, my new surgeon at the Mayo Clinic had to perform another exploratory laparotomy. They had to open me up again to "debride" or cut away all the infected tissues. Another hole developed on my stomach and fortunately that was closed with staples. No feeding tube this time. I did have more drains put in though. I was in the hospital for a week and then sent home with a PICC line for IV antibiotics. After a month, the PICC line was removed and I switched over to oral AB's. I will need to be on these for 6 months. Unfortunately these AB's cost $200/month (after my copay). The infectious disease department at the Mayo Clinic concluded that the particular species of the mycobacterium infection I had was extremely rare. So rare that there has only been one other case recorded in medical literature. It is suspected that this infection came from unsterile surgical equipment. Regardless, I wish my lap band doctor would have taken me seriously early on. His lack of cultures and tests allowed the infection to spread. The blood tests early on (from last September's ER visit) showed an alarming white blood count. The doctor missed this, as well. The total hospital bills/medical costs to-date are almost $400,000! Luckily the insurance company picked up most of it. I have paid about $45,000 out of pocket including the initial Lap Band surgery. I do believe I am finally on the road to recovery. I feel great and all my wounds have closed up. No more bandages for the first time in many months. Scars are numerous and will take years to heal, but I can handle that. From the multiple surgeries, I lost all nerve sensation in the majority of my abdomen. Some of that may return, but not likely. I gained a few lbs back, but for the most part I am staying on track. In conclusion, the lesson I learned is that risks of weight loss surgeries really need to be considered and weighed (no pun intended) against the risk of not doing the surgery. I truly believe weight loss surgeries should be the last resort. In my particular case, I was very overweight at 290#, but otherwise healthy. I should have been more vigilant in diet and exercise before resorting to the Lap Band. I hope my story helps.

It has been a couple months since my last post and this will most likely be the last for this thread. My follow up care has been through the Mayo Clinic and they are absolutely wonderful. The latest CT scan in late March showed nothing leaking out of my stomach and all the abscesses are under control. The scars and wounds I have (13 holes total) will take many months if not years to heal. Almost all, but 3 or 4 are closed up. I am back to normal food again and on a regular diet. Once again, I am faced with with the daily struggles of weight management. Fortunately, I have managed to stay on track. I miss what the Lap Band had to offer me. I try to remind myself every day what I've been through so I can use this to motivate me to continue my weight loss journey without the Lap Band. Perhaps it will be spite that helps motivate me. At least the ordeal I've been through has brought me 3/4 of the way to my goal in just 6 months. Anyway, I really want to thank the the wonderful people who have provided so much support and prayers. This is what helped me get through this. If there is anyone that I can help with further information, please PM. I wish everyone the best on their journey. Thanks and may God bless you!!

It's been 2 weeks since my last update. The first week, I was on liquids and the second week soft foods. The two drain tubes were pulled leaving only the feeding tube and G-tube into the stomach. Both have been capped off and only left in as a precaution. Today, I have an appointment to remove these remaining tubes. I am also supposed to get the go ahead for solid foods. I think it will still be months before the wounds stop leaking completely and close up/heal. The only scare I had was after 7 days of liquids and 2 days of soft foods, I gained 18 pounds!!! Who gains 18 # in 9 days?!!!! I panicked and paged the doctor. He explained that this was a reaction to my body from being in "starvation mode" for several weeks. Previously, I was only able to get in 600 calories each day. I wasn't so concerned about the weight gain as I was about whether or not food or liquids were still leaking out of my stomach. The doctor said that if that was the case, I would be violently sick. Fortunately, I am still healthy with no fevers. He said my metabolism should stabilize. I think it has because I dropped 4 pounds already. Apparently, there is a ton of politics in my doctor's office. My doctor left the business (with no notice) and moved to the opposite side of town. I sought him out so he could remove these final tubes. My follow-up care will be at the Mayo Clinic. Hopefully, there won't be any further complications.

Hello everyone. Some good news this week. I had a gastric gram ("swallow test") on Wednesday. Nothing leaked from the stomach!! The doctor gave me the go ahead to have liquids, but to take it slow. The holes in my stomach may have closed, but could open up if I push it. After not having anything by mouth for 2 months, chicken broth was heaven!!!! In one week, if everything goes okay, I can step up to soft foods. After two weeks, he'll remove all the tubes. He wants to keep them in for now as a precaution. I'm optimistic, but also nervous. I'm afraid if I accidentally push it to much, I'll break. I seem to leak alot more where the tubes exit my skin after drinking liquids. It's only been two days so we'll see how it goes. So far, no fevers. I also had my consultation for a second opinion at the Mayo Clinic on Thursday. This place is so incredibly impressive. Very state of the art. The doctor has yet to review my films and x-rays, but confirmed the course of treatment I am on is one that she would do. This was very reassuring. In the event there are any complications, I intend to switch to her care. Let's hope and pray this won't be necessary. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

Hi Becky, I am so glad you are recovering. It's nice to know that my circumstances have helped, at least, one person. You will be in my thoughts and prayers. I am all set up at the Mayo Clinic on next Thursday for my second opinion. I'll let everyone know how that goes. My current doctor has scheduled me for a "swallow test" next Wednesday. For this test, I swallow a gunky dyed liquid, Barium, and stand in front of an X-ray machine that films the path of the liquid. If the liquid does not leave the stomach (through a hole), he may allow me to start on liquids. broth would be heaven right now!!! Even a galss of Water.

I will be getting a a second opinion after the disapointing results from last Thursday. I am meeting with a leading GI specialist at the Mayo Clinic Hospital sometime this week. I'll let you know how that goes. After I posted last, I met with my Lap Band Surgeon later that afternoon. He said that the info that the lab techs gave me ("the test results were like they were 5 weeks ago") was only partial information and that there was, in fact, some progress. Sound like BS? I don't know. He said that the abscesses next to my stomach were now closed up or sealed, except for the hole into the stomach. During, the last fistulagram, the liquid dye traveled not only into the stomach. but also into the abdominal cavity through other leaks in this abscess. During this test, the dye only went into the stomach. He said that the suctioning action from the drain tubes are what can be keeping the hole in the stomach from closing. The end of this drain tube is apparently seated right next to the stomach hole. His plan is to take the suctioning off, which he did. In one week, he will begin to back out the drain tube. After two weeks, he said he may pull the drain tubes out entirely. He said the hole in the stomach should then begin to close up quickly. He didn't stitch up the stomach hole in the initial surgery because the tissue was all inflamed and it would be like stitching pudding. The only other option is to do a endoscopony down my esophogus and place a stint or glue to patch the hole from the inside but he said this procedure doesn't have very good statistics, only 50%. I am trusting that God will lead me in the right direction. Thanks again for the prayers!!!!!! Tom

I had the test moved up one day to this morning. Just got back from the hospital. The test showed that nothing at all has healed. They injected dye in one end and it went into the stomach, filled it up, and leaked out another hole. Apparently, there are two holes in my stomach, not just one. I haven't spoke to my doctor yet. I don't know what the next step is. All I know is that I am so distraught!

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers. Truthfully, this is what keeps me going.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Beckie, stay on top of the band erosion. My band erosion is what led to the hole in my stomach and the feeding tube. The longer you wait, the worse it gets. I hope things work out for you, it seems like you have been through a lot, too. Let me know how things turn out.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> I have 4 more days for my "fistulagram" test (Friday <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:time Hour="8" Minute="0">8:00 am</st1:time>). A fistula is a medical term for a hole and I have a gastric fistula. One of my three drain tubes goes to an abscess or pocket next to the upper stomach. This abscess is one of the areas that was infected. The drain tube drains or collects into a plastic bulb. Looks like a hand grenade. During the test, they remove the bulb and inject a liquid dye into the tube and then into the pocket. Normally, the liquid should stay in the pocket. When they did the test in mid December, it showed the dye traveling into my stomach, therefore concluding there was a leak or hole. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> I don't know how I will handle a failed test. I know I shouldn't have high expectations, but I can't help it. I just want these tubes out of me and to be able to start eating again. I am miserable now and so weak with lack of energy from not being able to eat much through the feeding tube. The weight loss is great, but it’s no longer a healthy weight loss. I certainly would appreciate everyone's prayers.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Thanks,<o:p></o:p> Tom<o:p></o:p>

It's been almost 3 weeks since I last wrote so here's an update. The holidays were tough with the feeding tube, but I made it. It wasn't easy being fed with Ensure while everyone else was eating these magnificent dinners. Fortunately, I haven't had any appetite. I do have these feelings of insatiable thirst regardless of how much fluids I feed into me. It drives me crazy. I'm not allowed to even have ice chips. My open wounds are slowly healing and I can tell that it will probably be years before the scars look okay. The other tubes in me are a huge discomfort, but I try to remain positive and focus on the date when they should come out. I am scheduled for a "fistulagram" next Friday, the 16th. This will determine if the hole in the stomach has closed. If so, all the tubes get pulled and I can start on liquids for a week. The one bright spot is that I am dropping weight rapidly while on the feeding tube. About a pound each day. It's hard to eat more than 2 cans of Ensure or 700 calories a day because I get so nauseous and also the numerous trips to the bathroom. Before the Lap Band, I was 290 and before the infection really flared up, I was 260. Today I am 220, a 40 lb loss since mid November. Not the way I planned on, but I'll take it. My goal is 170# and I am very determined to reach this goal. Perhaps it is partly in spite of everything that's happened, but also because of my newfound appreciation for good health. I'll let everyone know how things go next week. Thanks, Tom

Hello everyone. I am new to the Lap Band and this forum so please excuse me if I don’t use the correct terms. I am writing to seek help from someone who may have a similar experience. Please forgive the lengthy posting. I was banded 6 weeks ago on 8/19. Everything went smooth. I went in for my first fill at 4 weeks. It was 3cc and must have been minimal because I felt no difference in what I could eat. Nevertheless, I watched what I ate. One week later, I started to feel a cramp/stabbing pain on my left side, just under my rib cage. At first, the pain was annoying, but not too unbearable. The next day, the pain increased and I became worried. I used some of the leftover pain medicine I had from the surgery and read through this site for hours. After a couple days of increasingly unbearable pain, I called my Lap Band doctor and explained to him what was happening. He said that what I was describing wasn’t a common problem. I was very surprised to hear him tell me that there is nothing he can do. He said if I am feeling pain, I should go to the ER. He has an outpatient office and does not have any testing equipment. I am a prepay and paid the entire $15,000 up front so this made me feel a little angry. I decided to give it another day before heading to the expensive ER room. The next day, the pain got so unbearable and I was out of the leftover pain medicine. I went to the ER and when the doctor pressed on the band area of my stomach, I practically went through the roof. My wife has never seen me with so much pain before. The doctor ordered an IV with morphine which had very little effect on the pain. They ran many tests, blood workup, X-rays, and full CAT scan. After 6 hours of testing in the ER, I was told they did not find anything. They said everything is in the right place and that I should follow up with my lap band surgeon. They gave me a prescription for pain meds and sent me home with the same pain as when I arrived. I actually wondered if they thought I was faking it or something. I decided to give it a few days to see if it was some temporary irritation. At least the pain meds they gave me were a bit stronger and helped with the pain. However, after 4 days, each time the pain med wears off, the same pain returns. I have noticed a slight fever, about 100 over the last few days. I’m usually one of those people who never gets sick or a fever. The pain seems like it moved a little closer to the center, about two inches to the left, just under the rib cage. It also hurts when I take a deep breath, like the band is rubbing up against my diaphragm. The ER doctor said that the tube and band seemed like it is in the right place. I have no nausea or vomiting, just this terrible pain. Am I paranoid? Am I suppose to do nothing? Has anyone had this and did it go away after a few days or weeks? Thank you in advance for any help.

Take it from me. Don't take any chances. You need to be thoroughly tested. Don't skimp on a test because of money, it may cost you in the long run. They discovered most of the infected places in me with a CT scan. Even so, the doctor opened me up from breast bone to belly button to "explore" for other possibly infected areas that didn't show up in the tests. With my particular case, my temperature was at 104 and my white count was up to 29,000 so they knew I was bad. My suggestion is, assuming after you have all the approroate tests, and the only thing that shows up is the port being infected, then have the port removed and wait 6 months. Then you can have some peace of mind. If you have had pain from the beginning, that along with infection could mean erosion. That's what led to the hole in my stomach. I brought the pain sypmtoms to my doctor's attention early on and he shrugged it off. Now, I am paying. Good luck.

Thank you everyone for your prayers. It is these prayers that are keeping me going. Tomorrow will be 1 week into my "4-week period" of needing to be on the feeding tube. I'm 25% of the way through. I am only hoping that I have no more setbacks. I have talked to some wonderful people and heard worse stories than my own. They helped assure me that a hole in a stomach will, in fact, close on its own. This was good news to hear. I'm somewhat getting used to a routine so things are a little easier. I try to stay off the pain meds during the day because they say the pain meds only slow down the healing process. I save them for at night when I go to bed, but they only last 3 or 4 hours. A problem is that I can only sleep on my back and I wake up in pain after 5 or 6 hours. My bed is not like the hospital's.

When I said "bypassed" my stomach. I meant that I am being fed via feeding tube directly into my small intestines. I also have a tube into my stomach that is draining any gastric fluids being produced. I am told regardless of eating, the stomach still produces gastric acids. The Nexium prescribed is supposed to quiet these gastric fluids. The hole in my stomach is actually in my stomach. This is not to be confused with the three other holes in my skin. What I am interested to know is how the hole in my stomach will heal on its own? Is my doctor correct that this hole will seal itself and heal in 3 to 4 weeks? I’ve tried researching it on the internet, but not much luck so far.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Thanks,<o:p></o:p> Tom<o:p></o:p>

Hello everyone. Thank you again for all of your support. You don’t know how much it helps. Never, in a million years did I ever think I would end up here, especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas time. I suppose I just have to figure out how to squeeze some prime rib and Christmas cookies through my feeding tube. LOL! As you can tell, I am in better spirits. I really try to stay positive and focus on getting healthy. It doesn’t help to pity myself. Once I am healthy, there will be plenty of time to figure out what I am going to “financially” or “legally”. I don’t know what the bills will come in at, but I do believe my insurance has approved everything. My deductibles (in network and out of network) combined are about $12,000 so I am assuming that is the most I will have to pay. My guess is that the total hospital bill will be around $200,000 so the $12k is a bargain. Does anyone know about “holes” in the stomach? The medical term is fistula. As I previously mentioned, I have one at the upper part of my stomach where the band used to be. The doctor has bypassed my stomach, is draining all gastric fluids out with a drain tube, and prescribed Nexium to “quiet” the stomach down. He says that in 3 to 4 weeks, this hole should heal itself. This is why he did not need to go in and surgically fix it. It sure would be helpful if someone else has any info on this. I’d hate to go 4 weeks with this feeding tube just to find out otherwise. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Thanks,<o:p></o:p> Tom<o:p></o:p>

Also, as clarification, I live in the Phoenix area and went to Dr. Schlesinger for my Lap Band surgery at Arizona Weight Loss Solutions.

Thank you everyone for your words of support!!. I really don't mind hearing anyone's opinions. I always remember that's only what they are, opinions. That being said, I hope that everyone can express themselves (not just this thread, but any thread) without criticism. I find that most people just want to be helpful.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Anyway, after being out of the hospital for two days, I was re-admitted for two more days and got home two hours ago. What an ordeal. I went to My Lap Band doctor’s office on Thursday because “fluid” was seeping through my surgical incision. He opened up two spots about 1 inch long for drainage. I now have two more holes to pack w/gauze. He immediately sent me to the hospital for a test where they inject a dye into an abscess. This particular abscess is one of three that I had from the infection and located right next my stomach where the band used to be. They inject dye to see if it stays in this abscess or travels somewhere else. Specifically, he wanted to know if it was “communicating” with the stomach. The test showed the dye filling the abscess and then traveling to inside my stomach confirming that I have a small hole in my stomach maybe about the diameter of a pencil. The doctor started me back on the feeding tube and reconnected the drain tube to my stomach to relieve it of pressure from the gastric fluids. He said I need to be fed this way for a month. After about 3 or 4 weeks, he said the holed in the stomach will heal by itself. Can anyone confirm this? I was sent home with all the portable contraptions to make it happen. I have tubes everywhere, plus, I now have three holes that need to be packed with gauze everyday. I am trying so hard to stay positive but it is very difficult. It seems like every time I go one step forward, I take two back. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Thanks,<o:p></o:p> Tom<o:p></o:p>

I will blog more later, but for now, provide a quick update. I am still weak as I just returned home from being in the hospital two full weeks. I finally went to the ER on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving (11/25). It was bad. My white blood count rose to 29,000 and temperature to 104. They did a CT Scan and found band erosion and that the band, tubing, and port was all infected in addition to three abscesses deep in my abdomen. My Lap Band surgeon, who had returned from being out of town due to his family crisis, had to perform emergency surgery. He made an incision from my breastbone to my belly button to remove the entire Lap Band system and also for exploratory surgery to find any other infected areas. When I came out of surgery, I had a feeding tube leading directly into my small intestines, a drain tube from my stomach and three other drain tubes from the abscesses. My original wound/hole was "re-opened" and twice the size. The wound culture that my primary care physician took on 11/18 took almost 3 full weeks to grow and identify. It was some form of Mycobacterium which is supposedly a stain of tuberculosis. The past two weeks have been a horrifying experience. Fortunately, through many prayers, I am on the road to 100% recovery. In a way, I am relieved to have everything foreign out of me. For me, the Lap Band proved to be the worst decision in my life. As far as determining my Lap Band doctor's performance, the jury is still out. There will be plenty of time for that. For now I just want to get healthy. I am tired now and will blog later.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> PS Not that it really matters, but I am not a woman, but rather a 42 year old father of 4 beautiful daughters and a husband to a very devoted wife.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p>

I will continue to blog because hopefully my experience can provide some help to someone else (not a substitution for medical advise of course). My Lap Band doctor will not be back in town until next Tuesday due to his father passing away. I saw my primary care physician (pcp) on Monday, the 17th. My pcp took a culture of the would, blood test, and two blood cultures. The cultures will take 3 days to get results and we won't have them unti Thurday or Friday. The blood test portion was completed and the results showed that I have some anemia (level of 10.7 whatever that means) and a white blood count of 15,900. The doctor said I definitely have an infection still in me, but he needs to wait until the cultures come back to exactly what kind. I can't believe my lap band doctor never oredered these. For now, the PCP is starting me on Leviquon antibiotics. He said he can change it if we need to once the culture results come in. I probably will give it one more day before I give in and go to the ER. My fever hit 103.5 today.

Here is an update. Tomorrow will be three weeks since my port incision infection was cleaned out. The open wound has beeen healing well. It realy is amazing how the human body heals. I have learned to change the dressings myself three times a day. The wound ('hole") needs to heal from the inside out. All the redness is gone. You would think that I should be on the road to recovery, but I am still concerened. I have had a low grade fever on and off since, but recently the fever has been increasing toward the 101 to 103 range. The doctor says there is no external eveidence of an infection. The pain I had before has also returned. It is almost in the center, slightly left, under my rib cage. I think it where the band is. It feel like it pushes up against my diaphragm. My whole abdominal area and upper chest is sore. It is almost unbearable to lay down and sleep and if it wasn't for the fever knocking me out, I probably couldn't. The 11/20 is my next appointment. I feel like telling my doctor to either fix me of get this band out of me. I want to be normal again.

I went to Dr Schelsinger in north Phoenix and was banded on 8/19/08. Total self-pay is $15,000. The coodinator, Jen is awesome, although I thinks she works in a different department. Dr Schlesinger is very involved and concerened with patient care. His personality is a bit "dry", but I'm not there for the personality. He does eveything himself, consultations, exams, and fills. he seems to be a little on the cautious side, but this reassures me that it's better to be safe than sorry. I am having some complications, but that's a another story. The jury is still out about whether or not he was the right choice.

I just got back from the doctor's office and thought I would provide an update. He pulled the dressings out and looked at the wound. I suppose while I was in shock yesterday, everything looked bigger than it actually was. The actual size of the hole is about the size of a quarter, not twice the size of a silver dollar like I thought yesterday. Sorry for the alarm. The hole doesn't go all the way through into my abdomen so I don't have to worry about soup coming out when I'm drinking it. Although last night, in front of my family, I held a bowl up to my belly while I was drinking water just in case. I can't understand why my family looks at me and just shake their heads. The hole is through all the entire layers of skin and goes right through to the muscles of the abdomen. Pretty gross. Today, the doctor said that the infection/wound looks "really good" whatever that means. I guess he was comparing it to the way it looked yesterday. It appears that the infection is now under control since all the infected "stuff" was removed yesterday. He said it also appears that the port may not be infected. It is an inch or two away from the hole and does not have infection directly next to it. He wants to continue treating the wound with dressings and antibiotics before doing an endoscopony. This is the scope they insert through your mouth into your stomach to check for "erosion". If the infection clears and the wound heals, then there's a fair chance that the band and port are okay as this means that the infection is just localized to the area that it's in. I am going back tomorrow morning and he is setting up a home care nurse to come to my house and change the dressings twice a day. I do not want to do this myself since I have a very weak stomach (no pun intended). I don't know what this cost will be or who pays for it. The doctor's office manager is setting it up and didn't ask for insurance info or say anything about the cost so I am hoping he pays for it. The doctor seemed only concerned about erosion because the infection had to come from somewhere and that's one of the logical places. The other places are the port or from the needle from my last fill. When I went to the ER 3 or 4 weeks ago, they did comprehensive blood tests that should have shown the infection if it had existed at that time. Common sense tells me that the infection started after the ER visit and right after the fill that I had two weeks ago. I am really hoping that this will prove to be the case. The other good thing is the low grade fevers I've had off and on over the weekend have stopped as of yesterday. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> I’m not sure how things will turn out, but I’ll post an update when I know. I tried to be descriptive in case someone else has a similar problem, now or in the future, and this problem of mine proves to be helpful for them to better understand things. I know from reading about other people’s experiences, I have been helped.<o:p></o:p>